Rubber strung racket



RUBBER STRUNG RACKET Original Filed June 5, 1955 Invenlor By flzwaorih A Home];

Patented May 18, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application June 5, 1935, Serial No. 25,170 Renewed February 15, 1937 1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in rackets for playing tennis and other games, the general object of the invention being to string the racket with rubber strings which impart to the racket greater durability than cat gut and the like, greater resiliency and easier return, and a wider range of skill in playing games. This improved racket with rubber strings provides greater possibility in cutting the ball, in that it has greater friction against the ball and it will make a faster game, imparts greater momentum to the ball and gives greater accuracy in placing the ball as the entire surface of the racket will not have as much differential as the surface of a cat gut strung racket.

Another object of the invention is to provide wedge means of rubber for holding the ends or other parts of the strings in holes in the frame of the racket so that new strings can be easily substituted for broken ones without taking the racket to an expert.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and specifically pointed out in the appended claim.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:-

Figure 1 is a View of a tennis racket constructed in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary edge view showing how the wedge member holds an end of a string to the frame.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view of a string and the wedge.

Figure 4 is a view of .another form of the racket.

Figure 5 is a view of the wedge and a portion of the fiat string with which the wedge is used.

Figures 1, 2 and 3 show the invention as applied to a tennis or like racket and in these views the numeral I indicates strings formed of rubher and each of circular shape in cross section with the strings passing through holes 2 in the frame of the racket and held therein by the wedges, one of which is shown at 3 in Figure 3.

Each wedge is of rubber and is flat and is partly placed around the end of the string and engages the wall of the hole as shown in Figure 2. Thus the end of the string is wedged in the hole and as both the string and the wedge are of rubber the string is ver; tightly held in place by friction and the resiliency of the parts. 5

Individual strings can be used or the strings can be looped as is now done and pass back and forth and as many of the wedges can be used as desired.

In that form of racket shown in Figure 4 10 which may be used for table tennis and other games the strings I are of rubber or resilient material and are of the fiat construction shown in Figure 5 and in this case each wedge 3' is of circular shape in cross section and this forms a 15 cone. In this case the end of the flat string is partly encircled about the wedge so that the wedge forces the string against the wall of the hole and thus securely hold the string in place. The string should be stretched before being fas- 20 tened in place.

The improved racket has been tested and it has been found that the elasticity of the striking surface makes an easier and speedier return than the old form of racket and the new racket 25 has a tendency to make placement more certain and cuts more effective and without shock and without as much physical effort. Thus the efficiency of the return is greatly augmented and furnishes a greater range of skill with less eifort 30 than in the old racket.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel. features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be 35 made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is: 40

In a racket of the class described, a frame having openings therein, strings extending across the frame and having their ends: extending through the holes and resilient wedges for holding said ends in holes, said wedges being of sheet 5 material and of tapered shape, said wedges being adapted to be wrapped around a string where it is to be secured to the racket, with the reduced end of the wedge first engaged into the racket hole. 50

ATWOOD M. TIMPE. 

